1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a platen which is arranged opposingly to a recording head under or below the recording head having nozzles capable of discharging ink droplets and which supports a recording medium transported in a transport direction, and an image recording apparatus which is provided with the platen.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image recording apparatus, which is based on the ink jet recording system, discharges ink droplets to a recording medium from nozzles provided on a recording head. Accordingly, an image is recorded on the recording medium supported by a platen provided opposingly to the recording head.
When the so-called borderless print, in which an image is recorded on a recording medium without providing any blank space or margin, is performed by using the image recording apparatus, the ink is also discharged to an area slightly protruding to the outside of the recording medium, in addition to a recording area for the image (area in which the recording medium supported by the platen is present). As a result, the ink, which is not landed on the recording medium, is adhered to the platen. In this situation, the ink adheres to a back surface of a recording medium which is transported subsequently and which is supported by the platen, and the back surface of the recording medium is dirtied.
In order to avoid this inconvenience, for example, a platen, which is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-208245, has internal area support ribs which are provided in a recording area in which the ink is landed in the borderless print. Accordingly, a recording medium is supported by the internal area support ribs in the recording area. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the back surface of the recording medium from being dirtied by the ink.